W. Blanchard

Exploration of Spherical Torus Physics in the NSTX Device

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is being built at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory to test the fusion physics principles for the Spherical Torus (ST) concept at the MA level. The NSTX nominal plasma parameters are R {sub 0} = 85 cm, a = 67 cm, R/a greater than or equal to 1.26, B {sub T} = 3 kG, I {sub p} = 1 MA, q {sub 95} = 14, elongation {kappa} less than or equal to 2.2, triangularity {delta} less than or equal to 0.5, and plasma pulse length of up to 5 sec. The plasma heating/current drive (CD) tools are High Harmonic Fast Wave (HHFW) (6 MW, 5 sec), Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) (5 MW, 80 keV, 5 sec), and Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI). Theoretical calculations predict that NSTX should provide exciting possibilities for exploring a number of important new physics regimes including very high plasma beta, naturally high plasma elongation, high bootstrap current fraction, absolute magnetic well, and high pressure driven sheared flow. In addition, the NSTX program plans to explore fully noninductive plasma start-up, as well as a dispersive scrape-off layer for heat and particle flux handling.

TFTR initial operations

TSTR (Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor) has operated since December 1982 with ohmically heated plasmas. Routine operation with feedback control of plasma current, position and density has been obtained for plasmas with Ip800 kA, a = 68 cm, R = 250 cm, and Bt=27 kG. A maximum plasma current of 1 MA was achieved with q2.5. Energy confinement times of ~150 msec were measured for hydrogen and deuterium plasmas with e = 2 x 1013 cm-3, Te(0) 21.5 keV, Ti(0) = 1.5 keV and Zeff1 3. The preliminary results suqgest a size-cubed scaling from PLT, and are consistent with Alcator C scaling where T ~ nR2a. Initial measurements of plasma disruption characteristics indicate current decay rates of ~ 800 kA in 8 ms which is within the TFTR design requirement of 3 MA in 3 ms.

Effect of boronization on ohmic plasmas in NSTX

Boronization of NSTX has allowed access to higher density higher confinement plasmas. A glow discharge with 4 mtorr helium and 10% deuterated trimethyl boron deposited 1.7 g of boron on the plasma facing surfaces. Ion beam analysis of witness coupons showed a B + C areal density of 1018 cm-2 corresponding to a film thickness of 100 nm. Subsequent ohmic discharges showed oxygen emission lines reduced by a factor of 15, carbon emission reduced by a factor of two and copper reduced to undetectable levels. After boronization, the plasma current flat-top time increased by 70% enabling access to higher density higher confinement plasmas.

Measurements of tritium retention and removal on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

Recent experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor have afforded an opportunity to measure the retention of tritium in a graphite limiter that is subject to erosion, codeposition, and high neutron flux. The tritium was injected by both gas puff and neutral beams. The isotopic mix of hydrogenic recycling was measured spectroscopically and the tritium fraction T/(H+D+T) transiently increased to as high as 75%. Some tritium was pumped out during the experimental run and some removed in a subsequent campaign using various clean‐up techniques. While the short term retention of tritium was high, various conditioning techniques were successful in removing ≊8000 Ci and restoring the tritium inventory to a level well below the administrative limit.

Effect of plasma shaping on performance in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) has explored the effects of shaping on plasma performance as determined by many diverse topics including the stability of global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes (e.g., ideal external kinks and resistive wall modes), edge localized modes (ELMs), bootstrap current drive, divertor flux expansion, and heat transport. Improved shaping capability has been crucial to achieving βt∼40%. Precise plasma shape control has been achieved on NSTX using real-time equilibrium reconstruction. NSTX has simultaneously achieved elongation κ∼2.8 and triangularity δ∼0.8. Ideal MHD theory predicts increased stability at high values of shaping factor S≡q95Ip∕(aBt), which has been observed at large values of the S∼37[MA∕(m∙T)] on NSTX. The behavior of ELMs is observed to depend on plasma shape. A description of the ELM regimes attained as shape is varied will be presented. Increased shaping is predicted to increase the bootstrap fraction at fixed Ip. The achievement of strong shaping ...

Engineering design of the National Spherical Torus Experiment

NSTX is a proof-of-principle experiment aimed at exploring the physics of the ‘spherical torus’ (ST) configuration, which is predicted to exhibit more efficient magnetic confinement than conventional large aspect ratio tokamaks, among other advantages. The low aspect ratio (R:a, typically 1.2‐2 in ST designs compared to 4‐5 in conventional tokamaks) decreases the available cross sectional area through the center of the torus for toroidal and poloidal field coil conductors, vacuum vessel wall, plasma facing components, etc., thus increasing the need to deploy all components within the so-called ‘center stack’ in the most efficient manner possible. Several unique design features have been developed for the NSTX center stack, and careful engineering of this region of the machine, utilizing materials up to their engineering allowables, has been key to meeting the desired objectives. The design and construction of the machine has been accomplished in a rapid and cost effective manner thanks to the availability of extensive facilities, a strong experience base from the TFTR era, and good cooperation between institutions.

First-Wall and limiter conditioning in TFTR

Abstract A progress report on the experimental studies of vacuum vessel conditioning during the first year of TFTR operation is presented. A previous paper described the efforts expended to condition the TFTR vessel prior to and during the initial plasma start-up experiments. During the start-up phase, discharge cleaning was performed with the vessel at room temperature. For the second phase of TFTR operations, which was directed towards the optimization of ohmically-heated plasmas, the vacuum vessel could be heated to 150°C. The internal configuration of the TFTR vessel was more complex during the second phase with the addition of a TiC/C moveable limiter array, inconel bellows cover plates, and ZrAl getter pumps. A quantitative comparison is given on the effectiveness of vessel bakeout, glow discharge cleaning, and pulse discharge cleaning in terms of total quantity of removed carbon and oxygen, residual gas base pressures and the resulting plasma impurity levels as measured by visible, UV and soft X-ray spectroscopy. The initial experience with hydrogen isotope changeover in TFTR is presented including the results of the attempt to hasten the changeover-time by using a glow discharge to precondition the vessel with the new isotope.

Overview of impurity control and wall conditioning in NSTX

The national spherical torus experiment (NSTX) started plasma operations in February 1999. In the first extended period of experiments, NSTX achieved high current, inner wall limited, double null, and single null plasma discharges, initial Coaxial Helicity Injection, and high harmonic fast wave results. As expected, discharge reproducibility and performance were strongly affected by wall conditions. In this paper, we describe the internal geometry, and initial plasma discharge, impurity control, wall conditioning, erosion, and deposition results.

Impact of the wall conditioning program on plasma performance in NSTX

Abstract High performance operating regimes have been achieved on NSTX through impurity control and wall conditioning techniques. These techniques include HeGDC-aided boronization using deuterated trimethylboron, inter-discharge HeGDC, 350 °C PFC bake-out followed by D 2 and HeGDC, and experiments to test fueling discharges with either a He-trimethylboron mixture or pure trimethylboron. The impact of this impurity and density control program on recent advances in NSTX plasma performance is discussed.

Progress toward commissioning and plasma operation in NSTX-U

The National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) is the most powerful spherical torus facility at PPPL, Princeton USA. The major mission of NSTX-U is to develop the physics basis for an ST-based Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF). The ST-based FNSF has the promise of achieving the high neutron fluence needed for reactor component testing with relatively modest tritium consumption. At the same time, the unique operating regimes of NSTX-U can contribute to several important issues in the physics of burning plasmas to optimize the performance of ITER. NSTX-U further aims to determine the attractiveness of the compact ST for addressing key research needs on the path toward a fusion demonstration power plant (DEMO). The upgrade will nearly double the toroidal magnetic field BT to 1 T at a major radius of R0 = 0.93 m, plasma current Ip to 2 MA and neutral beam injection (NBI) heating power to 14 MW. The anticipated plasma performance enhancement is a quadrupling of the plasma stored energy and near doubling of the plasma confinement time, which would result in a 5–10 fold increase in the fusion performance parameter nτ T. A much more tangential 2nd NBI system, with 2–3 times higher current drive efficiency compared to the 1st NBI system, is installed to attain the 100% non-inductive operation needed for a compact FNSF design. With higher fields and heating powers, the NSTX-U plasma collisionality will be reduced by a factor of 3–6 to help explore the favourable trend in transport towards the low collisionality FNSF regime. The NSTX-U first plasma is planned for the Summer of 2015, at which time the transition to plasma operations will occur.